Grinch is out early. Church’s 200-plus costumes for popular Christmas program stolen

It might not take a miracle for Grace Community Christian Church in Ceres to put on its annual “Journey to Bethlehem” program this Christmas season, but it certainly will take a lot of help.

The church reported that the trailer holding more than 200 costumes for the 21-year-old free event was stolen from its 3754 E. Service Road location.

The production will be unable to continue if the costumes cannot be replaced, a news release said. It’s seeking donations of materials, money and manpower so the show can go on.

The stolen costumes have great sentimental value and were created at no small cost, said Tamara Hott, director of “Journey to Bethlehem.” Some date all the way back to the original production, she said. After all, they were worn only six nights a season — fewer if bad weather didn’t allow the “Journey” walking tour to be staged.

“We had people who started this program, who passed away and still had their costumes in there,” Hott said. “Nobody wore them, but we still felt they were a part of us.

“Some people got too old to take part, but they’d see someone else in their costume and it meant a lot. It made them glad to see someone else wearing it now.”

A set of 10 dancer costumes was among the stolen property, Hott said. Getting the skirts to look and twirl the way they did put their cost at between $75 and $100 apiece.

The trailer was stolen sometime between Aug. 20-24. The window of time is so big because office staff can’t see vehicles pulling into the area where the theft occurred. “It could have occurred during the day,” she said. “Our gates are always open to the community.”

The trailer is a 1995 Wells Cargo two-axle, model ZL. The license plate is 1VK4695. “But the CHP officer said the chances of finding it are slim to none,” Hott said, and once the thieves learned what the cargo was, they likely just dumped it.

This leaves Grace Community Church crunched for time and money. It needs 120-plus costumes created before October, Hott said. After that, there’s the annual effort to clean and fix up sets and do all the other work to present “Journey.” Having costume creation still in the mix would be too much, she said.

“We’re overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support” already coming in, Hott said. Within its own congregation, the church doesn’t have the sewing strength to get the job done, she said. “A couple of churches have said, ‘Give us a date and we’ll bring the people.’ ”

Cash donations are greatly appreciated, Hott said, because a few businesses already have offered discounts on material. But gifts of fabric are welcome, too, she said. Even if the fabric wouldn’t work for “Journey,” it will be used to make lap blankets that then will be sold as a fundraiser for the seasonal program.

As for other help, “If people want to be part of the program, we’re always looking for volunteers for speaking and nonspeaking roles,” Hott said. As attendance continues to grow, the church also is desperately in need of people to oversee parking, provide security and do other jobs, she said.

Last year, with good weather each night, was the biggest yet for “Journey to Bethlehem.” The church does a head count only of adults who enter the gates. Groups of 50 take the journey, and easily 90 percent of those 50 are kids, Hott said. Last year, not counting all those children, between 12,000 and 15,000 people took the tour.

“The hearts that we touch, it’s very heartwarming to me personally when I walk into the manger and can hear people being so moved by the experience.”

This year’s dates are Nov. 29-30, Dec 1 and Dec 6-8.

To donate time or costume materials, contact the church office at 209-531-1902. To donate funds, mail a check directly to Grace Community Christian Church, P.O. Box 2707, Ceres, CA. 95307 or visit the church ‘s online giving site at https://giving.ncsservices.org/dl/?uid=ncs-2166.

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call the Modesto area office of the California Highway Patrol at 209-545-7440.

This story was originally published August 29, 2018 at 1:18 PM.